W.G. Jones State Forest
The W. G. Jones State Forest is a 1,722-acre forest, originally named State Forest #2. It’s one of the nation’s largest working urban forests. Surrounded by Conroe, The Woodlands, and Montgomery County on all sides, the forest has around 100,000 visitors each year.
The goal of the forest is resource education. Sound scientific forest management that conserves native flora and fauna is practiced. Demonstration and research areas have been installed to test various forest management techniques, forest genetics, and forest product utilization studies.
Hours
The forest is open year-round during daylight hours only. Maps and restroom facilities are available at the Conroe District Office on F.M. 1488, 1.5 miles west of Interstate 45 during working hours (8 a.m. – 5 p.m. M-F).
The State Forest is ‘Pack it in & pack it out’—meaning everything you bring in, you also take out with you when you leave—including trash items.
Educational opportunities
Forest resource education with demonstrations and nature study are welcomed. Group educational tours are available by appointment.
School field trips
A variety of groups visit the forest every year to study and experience urban forest ecology. Groups range from elementary to post-secondary, self-guided and scheduled-program participants, public/private/home schools, or boy and girl scouts.
A few programs we host or partner:
- Exploring Houston’s Backyard & Beyond includes Houston ISD students in 4th and 5th grade.
- Classroom Without Walls includes 4th and 5th grade students from Montgomery, Waller, Grimes, and Liberty counties.
- Science & Technology Academy from Conroe ISD includes freshmen students researching a topic on the forest each year. Students ask a question, engineer a device to collect data, then analyze and interpret their findings.
- Several university natural resource management classes conduct research, review challenges that may impact forests, and have students observe prescribed burning practices on the state forest.
- Virtually Wild! Texas to provide students with engaging and interactive virtual field trips about nature and careers in conservation.
- Formal and informal educator training for environmental education curricula and competitions such as Project Learning Tree, Project WILD, Texas Envirothon, and Texas Woodlands Clinic.
Recreational opportunities
- Bird watching
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Picnics
- Wildlife viewing
- Biking
The State Forest is a game sanctuary with no hunting allowed.
Special attractions
- Educational programs, lecture series and environmental educator trainings
- Home of Heartwood Chapter Texas Master Naturalist and Friends of Jones State Forest office
- Presidential Geocaching series
- Orienteering course challenge
- Friends of the Jones State Forest Native Plant and Grass Nursery demonstration growing area
- W. Goodrich Jones State Forest Wildscape and Pollinator demonstration gardens
- Sweetleaf Nature and Fitness Trail; State Champion Sweetleaf tree, died 2000
- Red-cockaded woodpecker management areas
- Two small lakes with limited fishing and picnicking
- Forest management best management practices demonstration sites
- Nearly 17 miles of trails and pathways for horseback riding and outdoor exercise and enjoyment
- Designated horse-rider and trailer area. To register for horse-riding access, complete our online form.
History
We acquired the forest in 1926. Like State Forest #1, funds for the purchase were appropriated by the Texas Legislature, with stipulations that the tracts be used for research, demonstration, and education, serving as examples of working forests to Texas landowners.
The property was first logged in 1892, followed by periodic harvesting for railroad cross ties until we took ownership. A wildfire severely burned the area in 1923, and reforestation activities began almost immediately with natural regeneration from native pines.
The second pine seedling nursery in Texas was established here in 1927, with a capacity of 1 million bare-root seedlings per year. This use was discontinued in 1940 following the establishment of a facility at Alto, Texas.
In 1933, a Civilian Conservation Corps camp was established on the forest. At the time, we planned and supervised the forest protection and conservation work of approximately 3,000 enrollees at 17 such camps across East Texas. Many of the original roads and fire breaks on the forest were constructed by CCC crews. The camp was closed in 1936.
At a ceremony on May 19, 1949, the forest was formally dedicated and renamed the William Goodrich Jones State Forest, in honor of the Father of Forestry in Texas. Mr. W.G. Jones, 87-years-young at the time, made an acknowledging address to the crowd of dignitaries and family.
Today, the Jones State Forest plays host to a population of red-cockaded woodpeckers, a federally listed endangered species. Forest management activities focus on habitat protection for this important species of the southern yellow pine forest ecosystem. Present day research and demonstration activities include prescribed burning, reforestation, ecological restoration, habitat restoration, best management practice sites, hardwood management, silvicultural thinning studies, and food plots for wildlife.
Annually, nearly 100,000 visitors enjoy the state forest, with school children from local and surrounding county schools attending several signature environmental outdoor learning classrooms.
In 2011, the forest became the 18th nationally recognized Children’s Forest by the USDA Forest Service. Children’s Forests are places where kids and families are connected to the outdoors. The honor of being the Children’s Forest in Texas and one of only 25 nationally is based on innovative place-based programming spanning generations.